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I want a vaginal birth but my hospital won't allow it. What can I do?

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I delivered my son by c-section last December. I'm expecting a baby girl in March and I desperately want a natural labor and delivery this time. However, my hospital doesn't allow vaginal birth after cesarean -- no one will even talk to me about it! What should I do?

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My first baby was natural and I could feel his head stuck in my pelvis. The doctor pushed down on my belly and I was in labor for 27 1/2 hours. I believe I should have had a c-section. As a result, my pelvis was broken and it took me a year until I could run without pain in my pelvic area. My son is fine and he was only 7lbs 2oz 19 1/2 inches long.
With my 2nd child she weighed 8lbs 5.3 oz and was 21 inches long. My labor was brought on by medication to dilate my cervix and I was given pitocin. I was cautioned my doctor that the baby was pretty large and he did not think I could deliver vaginally. He was right. I tried for 8 hours and finally I was fully dilated. I tried for an hour to push but the baby was just too big and I could not push her out. It took me 4 weeks to feel better and a few months to feel like myself, but nothing like having a broken pelvis.
I've had 5 abdominal surgeries now including the c-section. I'm going to find out if my doctor will recommend a c-section after my last surgery which was a hernia. The doctor who performed that surgery tells me that my uterus has a very weak area and that it would result in my pregnancy being high risk and possible rupture.
I trust my doctors and they listen to me. I'm willing to do whatever is safer. I will try for a VBAC, but if this baby(3rd pregnancy) is too big then I'll just have the c-section. I'd rather be safe than sorry. I don't want to have a c-section, but sometimes I wonder if my pelvis is just too narrow and it wasn't meant to be. So, I'll just leave it in God's hands and trust that for me whatever should happen will be for the best.

VOICE OF REASON? Where in the world are you getting the idea that having a c-section is safer than a vaginal birth? It is common knowledge that any surgery is a danger. A vaginal birth is a perfectly natural event. Our bodies would not be made to give birth if it were so dangerous. And when the body does not cooperate, that's when wester medicine can be a blessing. However, most births are low risk - and therefore a vaginal birth should always be givin consideration before a c-section. The reason c-sections are performed so quickly in the U.S is because of insurance companies and the fear doctors have of being sued. I had a natural birth with my daughter Grace, who is now 2 1/2. I had no drugs, and she was also "sunny side up" - which caused no complications. The experience was the mose painful and empowering event of my life. I educated myself before her birth - and knew what I was in for. I suggest Amy see a midwife. Many midwife practices are affiliated with doctor offices if that makes you more comfortable. Good luck. And remember - trust your body to do what's right for you. More times than not, the body works for us rather than against us. Educating yourself about labor and child birth is the key. Bradley classes are the best.

I'm having the same problem. The small hospital my doctor works out of will not allow a VBAC. Under my doctor's advice I have done a lot of research about the risk. Small hospitals have not stopped doing VBACs because they are too dangerous. The risk are not any higher now then they were 20 years ago. Small hospitals and some doctors have stopped doing VBACs because they don't want to get sued. Lawyers are now deciding what is best for you and your baby. Whenever something goes wrong people are sueing saying that they did not understand the risk. Due to this liability insurance for hospitals that preform VBACs is too high for the small hospitals to afford. Go to VBAC.com and you can get more info. I intend to travel two hours to the closest hospital that will do a VBAC. My doctor, who was involved in the original studies on how safe VBACs are, supports this decision.

Hey everyone, after reading all your comments, I was just wondering why is everyone wanting a VBAC so badly? I am not saying that you are not loving your child, so please don't say that, but don't you think your OB/GYN has the best interest for you and if she/he decides it is best for you to have a C-Sect, then why would you want to change docs just to find one that would do it last minute? I personally would rather have my doctor that I have trusted my life into during the pregnancy, and my babies life, for they know you and how you are progressing. I think many docs don't want to do VBAC's for one reason is your health. I believe the last thing a doctor wants is to be responsible for the death of their patient, if something happened. many of you voice your opinions in negativity to doctors, but look at it this way, don't you think they know the best interest for your body, after all they did attend schooling and are more informed about the information then we could ever be. If you think you know everything, then, why don't you just do the VBAC yourself if you feel the doctors don't know anything. I am not saying VBAC's are bad. Congrats to the ones who can have them, but women, we need to think about our safety. Don't risk your life (if your doctor feels it is very unsafe) to mother your child. If your doctor however feels you are a canadite for a VBAC, then go ahead and do it, but please ladies, listen to your doctors. They know what they are doing.

Ya know what, i have read all the comments here (and boy did it take forever) and i just couldn't help but put in my 2 cents, first i'd like to say that i had a very succesful vbac 5 weeks ago and my decision had nothing to with feeling like a failure for having another c/section or having some "badge of honor" for doing it, my decision was based solely on many months of research on both issues, i didn't totally decide on having a vbac until i was in my 8th month because i wanted to do the right thing for my baby, i was very shocked to read the comments from women that are opposed to vbac's. i would like to direct this part of my comment to them, how dare you even question a mother's love for her child, that's what your doing when you say we should do whats safest for our child and have a c/section without question, i'm sure i can speak for most mom's when i say we absolutely want to do whats safest for our baby, their is a huge debate out there about both ways of delivering babies, both have risks, even if you haven't had a previous c/section. i agree with the comment about ruptures happen to women that haven't had a previous c/section, we must have read the same information. But anyhow we all love our babies with our whole hearts and want to protect them and do whats best, none of us wants to walk out of the hospital without our baby nor do we want to risk our other child not having their mom anymore but we have to keep in mind that that risk is there no matter what way we decide to have our baby, there is also a risk that the very next time we get into a car we can be killed in a split second, do you realize how many people are killed every year in car accidents? but we all keep getting into our cars, why? because its our choice to take that risk. well, anyhow, good luck in all your decisions its not easy but we all choose to take risks every day so don't stress so much and do LOTS and LOTS of research and go with your heart.

i had a wonderful experience when i had my vbac. my dr didn't fully agree with my decision to have a vbac but i researched the info and the positive effects of vbac over c-section was greater so i went with the safer way of delivering my baby, that's what we all want right? the safest and best way to bring our baby into this world. their is risks with both ways of having your baby with my research their is just as much risk with one way as the other, and i would like to mention to those of you that don't know, their is also a risk of rupture for someone that has never had a c-section, so all in all its your choice to do what you want to do. do your own research, ponder on what you learn, and make your own decision and find a dr. who will support you and you'll do just fine

I am due in 4 days & attempting a vbac. Because our city is relatively small(under 175,000) neither of the 2 hospitals have an in-house OBGYN. I was told on my first prenatal visit that I would be an "automatic" c-sec. Doc said their practice "just didn't do them, because of the risks." I'm a post partum doula and knew who to call to see what the "climate" was in our area. I switched to another practice.
I had my first ds vaginally nearly 13 yrs ago,& my second ds nearly 4 yrs ago due to placental abruption @ 33 wks. I was told I was an excellent candidiate for vbac. At 36 weeks, my dr. told me that it would be very difficult to get the hospital to agree. Fortunately, another OBGYN, who did the first vbac in my city in 1983 (& has successfully for 21 years) agreed to be in hospital while I labor. He told me the AGOG standards & SHOWED me the recent studies. They did, indeed say the rate had gone up - only to 4%, not 10 - 15 %. After experiencing both an unmedicated vaginal birth and an emergency c-sec., I would gladly choose a vbac. I have no comsmetic, or what I feel are unreasonable reasons, for choosing this. I did months of research before deciding to get pregnant w/our third & last baby. After doing so, I simply believe that a vbac is the safest choice for my baby & myself. I would never deliberately put her at risk.
Just know the facts and choose what is best for you and your baby! I know that no birth can be scripted & things can go awry, but you, too, will feel better being educated & informed.
God Bless!

It is heartbreaking to me some of the comments I am reading. My first baby was a C-section and my 2nd a successful VBAC. I am pregnant with my 3rd and am shocked to find that the hospitals in my county have all stopped offering them. It is criminal to me that they would force me to have elective surgery (not medically indicated) which is definitely not the safest choice. The complications that can occur with a c-section are statistically much more likely than with a VBAC. Hospitals have changed their policies not because it has become less safe to do a VBAC but because it is more expensive to have liability insurance, or because they are following the advice of their lawyers who are not the ones I want making medical decisions for me. I am looking at driving out of the county or having a home birth. If you are in the same situation I am in, I pray that you will have the strength to make your decision on what is best for you, and that you do the research it will take to find that out. Don't just do what you are told you have to. We must have a voice! I cannot think of any other situation in which it would be all right to tell someone they have to have surgery whether they agree to it or not. Especially when their doctor (as in my case) and many other medical professionals (do your research) don't believe it to be what is best or safest.

I had a c-section and 2 vbac's and I am now expecting in April and being told the same thing- vbac's are discouraged. We are now living in a different city than all my previous births and the hospital is much smaller than where I delivered before. From the research we have done, ACOG has simply changed their recommendation for VBAC's just in the last few years. This is concerning the on staff coverage at a hospital in case something does happen like a rupture. (yes- which is rare) They say the OB/GYN needs to be in the hospital the whole time when the patient is laboring, and all surgical staff in house waiting, along with a CRNA. If a hospital feels it is not in the best interest of the patient or the hospital to do a VBAC- don't force the issue. Maybe you could change locations. I have checked in larger cities close to where I live and I am finding the same thing. This is such a special day and it will be no matter how your baby arrives.

How ironic that if you wanted an elective cesarean (which would pose a greater risk to your health), your hospital would be more than happy to accomodate you. As for the comment that read the hospital has your best interest in mind - hardly so. The hospital has their own interests in mind. Cesareans are convenient and earn them a great deal more money that a natural, vaginal birth. Read The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer. Attend some Bradley childbirth classes, investigate midwives in your area. Henci's book will provide you with valuable info regarding cesareans and the backwards conditions of the obstetrics industry. A midwife will have you and your baby's best interest in mind unlike most doctors/hospitals. You do have options. You CAN do it naturally and you deserve to have that experience. Best of luck to you and your little one!

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